casual cooking and living

Category Archives: fun Foods

Inspired by my travels in Napa Valley and falling in love with the sights, taste and aromas of the wine country is my super easy fig jam. The jam is the perfect when served with bread, cheese and wine. This recipe helps to transport me back everytime to this beautiful destination!

From by the bay wishing you fond wine country food memories!

Maryann

Fig Jam

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced

8 ounces fresh black mission figs, stemmed and split in half

Direction

In a medium sauce pan heat olive oil. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add all remaining ingredients except figs ( sugar, water, vinegar, salt, rosemary, lemon juice and zest). Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer. Simmer until it is the consistency of a syrup and add figs. Continue to simmer until figs are soft. Cool and place in a covered glass container. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. This will keep about 5 days in the refrigerator.

It’s County Fair Season and I sure do love it. Our local fair is pretty small in scale but scale is made up for in location, location, location! The fair sits on the edge of the sand and sea. Warm breezes and salty air waft over the fairground. A perfect time to be out enjoying the music, rides and the food. Let’s talk about fair food. I can enjoy the real deal as much as the next person – the funnel cakes, corn dogs, kettle corn, snow cones and all kind so of things fried, but I often wonder wouldn’t it be nice to kick it all up a notch and maybe not be eating just fried everything. I decided to create my own fair food menu, perfect with your next fair or family gathering.

From by the bay wishing you delicious country fair food memories!

Maryann

Belgian Waffles with Whipped Mascarpone Cream and Peaches

Makes 8

1 ½ cup flour

2 tablespoons fine sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 eggs

½ cup milk

¼ sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup melted unsalted butter

Spray vegetable oil

Directions

In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add milk, sour cream, vanilla and melted butter to the dry ingredients and mix well. Let batter rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile spray waffle iron with vegetable oil andpreheat waffle iron. Add ½ cup of batter for each waffle. Cook as directed with iron until waffles are golden brown. Serve waffles with whipped mascarpone cream and freshly sliced peaches. Dust some confectionery sugar on top of the assembled waffles.

Whipped Mascarpone Cream

¼ cup mascarpone

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons confectionery sugar

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and using an electric mixer, whip together until the cream is in soft peaks that hold their shape. Serve immediately with the waffles or keep in the refrigerator covered until ready to use.

It’s not even summer yet and we are about to have our second heat wave starting Sunday! During the last mini heat wave I wanted to serve a side dish that was cool and refreshing. It turns out that watermelon and cucumbers are a perfect pair. I served this salsa along with grilled fish tacos, but this side is so versatile it complements most fish, pork and chicken. Oh, and let’s not forget a perfect salsa for dipping a tortilla chip. It’s a must try recipe!

From by the bay, wishing you cool food memories!

Maryann

Watermelon Cucumber Salsa

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups finely diced seedless watermelon

1 cup finely diced english cucumber

3 tablespoons minced red onion

1 tablespoon minced and seeded jalapeno pepper

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons lime juice

zest of one lime

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped mint

Directions

In a medium size bowl combine the honey, lime juice salt and pepper. Mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 1 day.

Wait don’t throw out those berries! Sometimes, I have left over berries in my fridge, yes hard to imagine but true. If you find that you have berries that are maybe not at peak left over , consider making this quick berry jam recipe. I used blackberries because they were what I had left over but easily you could be using raspberries, blueberries or strawberries. I have been know to just use whatever I might have left over. It’s so simple to make the green apple supplies the pectin to make the jam and voila you have your very own homemade fridge jam. Serve along with your favorite biscuit, toast or pancakes!

From by the bay wishing you a very jammy food memory!

Maryann

P.S. I love the blackberry version of this jam!

Quick and Easy Blackberry Jam

Ingredients

12 ounces fresh blackberries

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup cored, peeled and chopped granny smith apple

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

Wash blackberries and pick over for any impurities. Place ingredients in a medium pan on low heat and mix well. Heat slowly for approximately 40 minutes stirring occasionally, until jam comes to a rolling boil. Test to see if jam has thickened by using a spoon to see that it doesn’t run. You can mash the berries or leave the larger pieces. If it’s a little runny no worries it will jell in the fridge. Place in a jam jar and cover. Store in the refrigerator until ready for use for up to one week.

Loving strawberries the way I do , I was looking for ways to extend my enjoyment of our brief strawberry season. Pickled strawberries are a perfect solution. It may sound strange at first but pickled strawberries are the perfect balance of sweet and sour! For my pickled recipe I included some lemon rind for taste and red peppercorns for mild heat and a slight pepper taste. Now you must be wondering where I might use some pickled strawberries here is a list of some of my favorite uses:

chopped into salads

cocktails, such as sangria or champagne cocktail to name a few

a favorite salsa recipe

on top of vanilla ice cream

mixed with stone fruit as a fruit salad or pie filling

flavor a wine vinegar

Great creative and enjoy!

From by the bay , enjoy your pickled food memories!

Maryann

Pickled Strawberries

Ingredients

1poundripe but firm strawberries, hulled, halved if large

4 strips lemon peel

1½cupswhite balsamic vinegar

¼cupnatural cane sugar

1/2 teaspoon pink peppercorns

2tablespoons sea salt

Directions

Remove stems from strawberries. Place strawberries and lemon peel in a 1-qt. heatproof jar. Bring vinegar, sugar, salt, peppercorns, and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Pour over strawberries. Let cool; cover and chill. The strawberries will keep 5 days in the refrigerator.

Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Cool and place in a container. Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.
Serve as a topping to vanilla gelato.

Sweet Corn and Blueberry Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients

4 ears fresh young corn, shucked

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum

1 cup whole fresh blueberries

1/4 cup sugar

Directions

Cut kernels off each ear of corn and place into a large saucepan. Break cobs into pieces and also add to pan. Add to the pan the milk, cream , 3/4 cup sugar and xanthan gum. Place on medium heat , bring mixture to a low boil for 5 to 10 minutes until mixture is thicken slightly and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, remove cobs. Using an immersion blender, puree kernels. ( You can also use a blender to liquidfy but the immersion blender is quickest and easier clean up). Let corn mixture infuse for about an hour and then pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. When straining make sure you are using the back of a spoon to push the liquid through. Also scrap the liquid from the bottom of the strainer in the bowl. Place bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 2 to 3 hours. In the meantime, to a small sauce pan add blueberries and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan . Place on medium heat until the blueberries start to pop and mixture thickens. Set aside to cool. Make the sweet corn mixer in an ice cream maker according to directions. Right when the ice cream is ready slowly pour the blueberry sauce into the ice cream to swirl one or two times. Pour into a freezer safe container and store in freezer until ready to serve.

Blueberry Boy Bait
From Smitten Kitchen , which adapted it from the Cook’s Illustrated version, which was adapted from the original

For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

Whisk two cups flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. With electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about two minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping down bowl. Reduce speed to medium and beat in one-third of flour mixture until incorporated; beat in half of milk. Beat in half of remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk, and finally remaining flour mixture. Toss blueberries with remaining one teaspoon flour. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries. Spread batter into prepared pan.

For the topping:
Scatter blueberries over top of batter. Stir sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl and sprinkle over batter. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then turn out and place on serving platter (topping side up). Serve warm or at room temperature. (Cake can be stored in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)

Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon lemon zest

4 tablespoons melted butter

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 egg

3/4 cup fresh blueberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F. Take a 12 muffin pan and line with paper baking cups. Put tin to the side. In a bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and lemon zest. Add melted butter and stir. Add the egg to the buttermilk , mix and pour into the flour mixture and combine.Add blueberries and then fill each muffin liner about 3/4 filled. Place tin on baking sheet and bake on the center rack for 20 to 25 minutes until cake tester comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes then remove muffins to wire rack to cool. Serve warm or room temperature.

Pan Fried Veal with Spinach, Blueberries and Hazelnuts

Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds veal scallopini

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup chicken broth

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons whole hazelnuts

2 tablespoons Panko bread crumbs

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

2 tablespoons fresh blueberries

1 pound steamed fresh spinach

Directions

Toast hazelnuts and breadcrumbs on a baking sheet in a 400F oven for 2-3 minutes. Take toasted nuts and bread crumbs along with garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and red chili flakes and process into coarse crumbs. Place in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons olive oil, mix and place to the side. Flatten each scallopini between plastic wrap with a rolling pin until even. Coat veal with oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a medium frying pan and saute veal 2 minutes per side until browned. Place on a platter and cover with foil. In the same frying pan add the stock , balsamic vinegar and bring to boil and reduce for 2 minutes. Whisk butter in pieces into the sauce. Remove from heat and add blueberries. Divide spinach between four plates with veal on top. Spoon sauce on top of veal. Sprinkle top of veal with the hazelnut mixture and serve immediately,

Here is a classic to enjoy with your next barbecue – Deli style macaroni! Sometimes, you want to keep it simple. I mixed up the recipe with some Mexican cream because I had some in the refrigerator. If you can’t find Mexican cream you could replace the cream with an additional 1/2 cup mayonnaise with a 1/4 cup sour cream. It all works well.

From by the bay wishing you happy deli food memories!

Maryann

Deli Style Macaroni Salad

Serves 6

1 pound cooked elbow macaroni

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup Mexican sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

4 tablespoons whole milk

3 celery ribs, chopped finely

1/2 onion ,chopped finely

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium saucepan add the vinegar and sugar and bring to a bowl, dissolving the sugar. In a large bowl add macaroni and pour the sugar/vinegar mixture over and stir. Place in the refrigerator to cool for an hour. Remove bowl from refrigerator and add the remaining ingredients. Combine well. Cover and refrigerate until ready for use.

I wish I could take credit for this recipe but sadly can not. This delicious recipe was recently featured on ” The Food Network Kitchen” by the renown Chef Geoffrey Zakarian. The salsa was featured along with grilled brine pork chops. I immediately wanted to try this salsa and have found myself making it over and over again, especially now that we are into the zucchini season. This salsa needs it own moment it’s that good, the balance of texture and taste is perfection. It works as a side to almost any kind of pork . I recently served it along with a country baked ham, but it would be great with chicken or just with some tortilla chips. Thank you Chef Zakarian!!

From by the bay, wishing you spicy salsa food memories!

Maryann

Spicy Zucchini Pineapple Salsa

As seen on “The Food Network Kitchen” by Geoffrey Zakarian

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2/3 cup small- diced zucchini

2/3 cup small -diced fresh pineapple

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves torn

1 teaspoon finely chopped shallots

1 teaspoon finely minced jalapeno pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon chardonnay or white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger ( optional)

fine sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Let marinate for at least one hour or refrigerate until ready to serve.

How can you resist food where the catchphrase is “Music to your mouth”. They served up their house made hot link with shiner ( beer from Texas) mustard, indeed, music to my mouth!! I had to make some shiner beer mustard, below is my version so you can serve it up at your next barbecue!

From by the bay, wishing you shiner food memories!

Maryann

Homemade Beer Mustard

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces yellow mustard seeds

1 1/2 ounces black mustard seeds

4 ounces beer or lager ( such as Shiner Bock)

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon dried yellow mustard

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup chopped white onion

Directions

Mix the mustard seeds and beer together in bowl, cover and set aside overnight. (The mustard seeds will soften and soak up most of the beer. Stir in the remaining ingredients, then blend in a food processor until nearly smooth (you may need to do this is batches). Spoon the mustard into clean jars; tap gently to remove all the air bubbles. Store in refrigerator up to 1 month.

Last year I make for the first time, red eggs for Greek Easter using onion skins. I was amazed at how easy and beautiful the eggs turned out. So for Easter this year, I plan on making naturally dyed Easter Eggs in different colors using vegetables and spices many of us already have at home. I had to experiment a little to find what worked best. I suggest using either glass jars with a lid since the natural dyes take longer to color, it’s easiest to make the eggs and dyes and close the jar and store them in the refrigerator over night. The eggs will not have the same uniform color as store bought dyes but I think that gives the eggs a more organic and rustic charm. Many of the dyes needed a cup of boiling water added to an ingredient so I suggest putting the ingredients in a jar while the water is boiling and you will save some time. Below are my favorite dyes! Enjoy!

From by the bay wishing you colorful food memories!

Maryann

Making the Perfect Hard Boiled Egg

Place eggs in the bottom of a large pot add water to just cover the eggs along with a little sea salt and place on medium heat. Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and cover with a lid for 13 minutes. Use a timer to make sure you are not over cooking your eggs. Once the eggs are done, run them under cold water to cool to stop them from cooking. The result will be a perfectly cooked hard boiled egg.

A Few Suggestions While Coloring Your Eggs

To start I suggest using glass jam jars with covers or 16 ounce plastic deli containers with lids. Add the cooled hard boiled eggs to the natural dyes. Make sure eggs are completely submerged in the dye, add a little water if the eggs are not covered. Place a lid on your container and place into the refrigerator overnight for intense colors. If you want softer color you can let eggs sit in dye for just a few hours in the refrigerator. Add hard boiled eggs to the dye once cooled unless recipe says otherwise. When making the dyes, I suggest using plastic gloves so not to stain your fingers.